In The Aftermath
by SYF
Summary: After the Promised Day Kamui reflects on his life. Implied SubaruKamui FuumaKamui


**In the Aftermath**

Hello Fuuma. 

I guess that it's about time I talked to you. I haven't been to Tokyo for a while. Did you know that I've been living with the Sumeragi clan for the past two and a half years? Well I suppose you might know. I came back to Tokyo two days ago for a dragon reunion. All the surviving Dragons came to say their farewells to their ghosts as well reliving the battle. It hurts when I think about the Final Battle but talking it over with the others helped. And here I am to lay my ghosts to rest, and you are the one thing that still haunts me. You're probably wondering why on earth I took so long to come talk to you if I'm supposed to put the past to rest. There are two reasons for that. One of the two reasons is that the reunion took a lot longer than I thought it would. There was so much to catch up on. I still can't believe some of the things I heard. 

For example Karen-san and Yuuto-san are getting married. I know, I couldn't believe it when I heard either. Who'd have thought that a Dragon of Heaven would end up married to a Dragon of Earth. I always thought that Karen-san was in love with Aoki-san. Then again I suppose it's futile to cling to the past. Aoki-san is dead and there isn't anything that's going to change that. And as for Yuuto-san I think he finally got over Satsuki's death. I think if not for the existence of Aoki-san or Satsuki they would have gotten to this stage a lot quicker. But it doesn't matter they still got there in the end. They don't love each other yet, but they will, I'm sure of it. 

Arashi-san seems to have finally learned the art of relaxing. It's amazing really. She even smiles now. When we visited her in Ise I once asked her why she seems to smile so much more now. And do you know what her reply was? She told me that just before he died, Sorata asked her to smile for him if he ever died because he couldn't bear to see his nee-san cry. So she's keeping her promise to him after all. Ironic isn't it? She realised her true feelings only after he died. But I wonder, if Sorata were alive today would she ever have admitted her feelings? Maybe it's true that you don't know what you love until it's gone. 

As for Nataku, he's slipped back into normal life now. Almost. He still slips now and then but on the whole he's been able to fit in with the rest of humanity. Do you know that he lives with Kakyou now? He calls the dreamgazer, 'daddy'. It's really funny to see Kakyou wince every time Nataku does that. It's even funnier to see people do a double take when they hear Nataku. But he doesn't really seem to mind. I think he likes knowing that out there there's someone who needs him. He treats Nataku like his kid, buying him presents, or taking him to parks and zoos. It's so cute. Nataku has finally started to wear normal clothes. Subaru, Kakyou, Nataku, and I went on a shopping trip to get him some clothes resembling normality. Now that the Promised Day is over he seems to be so much more relaxed. He's still weird of course, but not so much that you'd notice.

Kakyou had been travelling the world, seeing new sights. He took Nataku with him. He came back early this year and has been living in Tokyo, learning how to walk again with Nataku and Yuuto's help. When I arrived he was able to walk normally even thought he does have to take a break once in a while. He looks content now that the whole Promised Day stuff is over. He's more social, more together. He and Subaru are getting along great, most of the time they talk about Hokuto and her schemes and dress sense. From what I've been hearing Sumeragi Hokuto was one crazy girl. I think you would have liked her under other circumstance.

You've probably noticed that I haven't really talked about one surviving dragon. There is a good reason for that. I've got to save the best for last after all. The thing is we're similar in so many ways really. Subaru and I both had a Wish that hurt us and the people who care about us. And in a strange way our Wishes were granted, just not the way we expected it to. We each had a sister, or close to it, who were killed by the person we loved the most. We had a future planned out for us by someone else, fate in my case, and his grandmother in his case.

So I suppose it's not a surprise that we ended up becoming close friends after the Promised Day. We were both hurting and our situations were so similar that we couldn't help but feel that the other understood how it felt to be betrayed by the ones we love. Not to mention how it felt to have to kill that Special Person for the sake of humanity. Subaru helped me get rid of my nightmares and I like to think I helped him adjust to life out of the Sakurazukamori's shadow. It was…nice to know that there was someone who would always be there for me. I probably don't need to tell you that I felt lost after that day. 

The Promised Day was my only reason for living. When it was all over I felt so empty. People had been telling me since I was able to understand words that I'm special, first was mother, then Hinoto, and then every one else. But when it's all over what did I have left to care for? Mother was gone, so were you and Kotori, the only three people that I cared about in this world. So for a while I wandered around Tokyo hiding from everyone. Aunt Tokiko left some money for me so that was no problem. I drifted in and out of motels never really staying in one place for long. I am amazed at how big Tokyo was. Subaru was the one who found me. He found me at this very spot one late and lonely night. And with some very harsh words he opened my eyes to a few things I hadn't wanted to see. When our little chat was over he put his coat on me and took me back to his apartment. 

Since then we've been living together. No, we didn't jump in the sack right away. As if we could have. I was still in shock and Subaru wasn't completely over the Sakurazukamori, not yet. That man really had a lot of control over Subaru. He told me a few stories about the Sakurazuka Seishirou, the vet that he used to know. It was bizarre to hear him speak about the assassin as if he was human. And I told him a few stories about you before you became my twin star. It was therapeutic for the both of us. I'm sure a few eyebrows were raised when Subaru decided to take me to Kyoto with him. I swear Karen and Yuuto kept smirking at me each time they saw me with him. Arashi would blush each time either Karen or Yuuto mentioned something about the trip to Kyoto with sexual innuendos underlying all their words. Nataku didn't know, or care about anything, for which I am thankful, and Kakyou smiled that damned mysterious smile that all dreamgazers seem to have. 

And of course when we arrived there was the problem of the Lady Sumeragi and the rest of the clan. The Lady was too polite to do anything but stare but believe me that was more than enough. I was scared enough that I was about to blurt out that I wasn't sleeping with her precious grandson and that we were only friends. Luckily I think Subaru saw my nervousness so he kept the spotlight away from me. And thank god he did. I couldn't have dealt with inquisitive Sumeragis much less the head of the clan. One child even asked me outright if I was Subaru's boyfriend. I know you're laughing Fuuma. It may seem funny now but it embarrassing as hell at the time. Luckily Subaru rescued me again. Those Sumeragis are scary people. 

When they found out that we weren't lovers, all the Sumeragis, even Lady Sumeragi, kept trying to set us up. They dropped hints, made sure I was where Subaru was and vice versa. Whenever a teenager outing was suggested they would make sure that Subaru was the adult accompanying us. Hell, Lady Sumeragi kept smiling this creepy smile every time she saw Subaru and me together. Whenever she talked to me she'd ask me about how Subaru was, as if she didn't know, and vice versa from what I heard from Subaru. Three-year-old children and their thirty year old parents invites me to lunch or dinner and Subaru would be invited as well. It was a conspiracy I tell you. Subaru's cousin, who was about my age, was the main figure behind all this. Tsukai was a cute kid with dark hair, and emerald eyes. He was also quite openly gay. He even tried to hit on me. And yes, Fuuma, I did refuse him. But then he got it into his head that I was in love with Subaru. So he decides that his cousin and I deserve to be with each other.

You have no idea how annoying it got. Tsukai kept growing more and more convinced that Subaru and I were meant to be together. It got a lot worse when the other Dragons visited us. When Karen and Tsukai put their heads together, run for your life. They even managed to drag Arashi into the scheme. Of course after a while we did get the hint, we aren't that stupid, and did finally decide that we had enough of angsting over lost loves. So during one particularly rainy day we became lovers and it's been a year and a half since then. I swear Lady Sumeragi's smile was about to split her face apart when she realised that Subaru and I finally got the hint.

Remember me saying that the reunion was one of the two reasons I didn't come see you right away? The other was that I was taking the time to gather up my courage. I'm not scared of you, but I was scared of facing the past. It's hard to acknowledge that I was the cause of your death as well as Kotori's. Who'd have thought that when you said you would protect me all you had to do was die. I am sorry that you had to suffer so much. If I had known the future I would have chosen the side of the Dragon of Earth to spare you the pain. But I didn't and I am sorry that you had to bear the pain because of my decision. I wish that you had lived. I wish that someone else had been the Dark Kamui. I wish that I didn't have to kill you. I wish a lot of things. But in the end it's done and there is nothing I can do except keep living. I have other people to live for and I can't fail them like I failed you and Kotori. 

I still miss you even though I have Subaru. In an odd way I suppose you were my first crush. But it never amounted to anything did it? I miss you but I can't keep holding onto the past. You could call this the last goodbye. I miss my old life, I miss my mother, and I miss my two best friends. But even I can't turn back Time. So I'll let you go. I think it's time I let go of my past. You are my best friend but you'd be much happier knowing that I am happy I think. I have Subaru, I have a family, I have friends. I think I've finally learned how to live. 

So, goodbye Fuuma. I hope that you are happy wherever you are. I hope that next time fate will be much kinder to you. Say hello to Kotori and Mother for me. Tell them how much I missed them. Tell them I'm finally happy again. And tell them I hope to see them soon, along with Subaru of course. 

~ * ~ * ~

The young man standing in front of the windows of Tokyo Tower's observation deck stepped forward so that his face was a mere inch away from the glass. The young man had dark messy hair and serene amethyst eyes. He was short for his age but there was something to him that made him seem taller. A few other visitors cast curious glances at the young man, drawn to him by something they couldn't name. Shirou Kamui stared gravely at the sky as the sun started to set, staining the sky red. To him the sky looked the most beautiful at this time. 

"Kamui!" The young man in question turned around, his serious face lighting up in a smile when he saw the person who had called his name. Another man, older than Kamui, stood a few feet away with a gentle smile. This man had dark hair as well but his eyes, or at least one of them was emerald green, the other was gold. The man wore a white coat that fluttered about him as he walked forward.

Kamui grinned and walked the rest of the distant to stand in front of the man. "Finished your business Subaru?" he asked tilting his head up to look at his friend and lover properly. Sumeragi Subaru nodded lifting a hand to stroke Kamui's cheek. 

"Don't you remember that Kishuu-san invited us to dinner tonight?" he asked quietly. Kamui winced. He turned his face slightly to nuzzle the other man's palm.

"You mean that's tonight?" Kamui pouted mockingly. "And I thought tonight it was just going to be us two." Subaru's smile grew wider at the sly innuendo in Kamui's words as much as the way the younger man looked up at him coyly. 

He leaned in closer to whisper in Kamui's ears. "Be nice tonight and I promise tomorrow night will be just the two of us." Kamui leaned forward and buried his face where Subaru's shoulder joined his neck. The emerald and golden eyed man could feel Kamui's lips curve up into a smile. And sure enough when his young lover looked up he was smiling brightly. Subaru smiled back.

The younger man sighed dramatically and hugged Subaru close. "I suppose it can't be helped. It is our duty after all. All right, take me to the torture." Kamui grimaced. "But I swear if Karen or Yuuto tease me one more time…" The rest of the words faded away as the couple headed for the elevator that would take them to the bottom level. 

No one saw the faint figure of a young man appear on the observation deck. No one saw the youth staring after Kamui with bemused golden eyes. And no one, least of all Kamui who was the focus of the unknown youth's attention, saw the brief smile that appeared on his face. "Good luck and goodbye Kamui," the young man whispered as he faded away. 

Kamui smiled up at Subaru feeling unusually happy for the first time in many days. For a moment he had thought he heard Fuuma's voice wishing him good luck and goodbye. But perhaps that was just his imagination. Life was good, he decided as they walked away from Tokyo Tower. His past was just that, his past, but his future was with Subaru and that was fine by him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From what I can surmise there are three versions of the X/1999 ending. I don't like the movie or the anime ending and I haven't read the end of the manga so I decided that I might as well make this story an AU. So in my world Subaru didn't die, most of the Dragons are alive, and Kamui is alive too. I am thinking of writing a prequel to 'In the Aftermath' about when Kamui and Subaru are living together in Kyoto. Give me some feedback if you want the story to go up. Although I doubt it'll be any time soon considering that I still have to finish 'Angelic Moon', 'Moonlit Reflection', 'The Amethyst and Sapphire Arc', and my original stories as well. 

That 'Good luck and Goodbye' line from Fuuma was inspired by a song called, believe it or not, 'Good luck and Goodbye', a song sung by Toshihiko Seki for Duo from Gundam Wing. Like every other stories I've ever put up, please review. Thanks.

Syf


End file.
